AllOfMP3 faces the axe

After having its credit card service pulled by Visa, AllOfMP3 is facing a much darker fate despite its plans to become a free, ad-supported service. According to this document released by the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the Russian government will crack down on piracy and copyright infringement as part of its entry into the World Trade Organization. One of the subjects of the crackdown will be AllOfMP3, as evidenced by the following passage:

The United States and Russia agreed on the objective of shutting down websites that permit
illegal distribution of music and other copyright works. The agreement names the Russia-based
website allofmp3.com as an example of such a website.

Russia will:

take enforcement actions against the operation of Russia-based websites; and

investigate and prosecute companies that illegally distribute copyright works on the Internet.

The document goes on to say that the Russian government will "work to enact legislation" by June 1, 2007, suggesting that AllOfMP3 might only have a few months to live before it is taken down and its owners face prosecution.